Combiwatiost-mop



M. P. ALLEN. COMBINATION MOP. APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 10, I91].

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Tut COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPII cm, WASHINOTOJ. I). c.

Patented Sept. 9,1919.

MELVIN P. ALLEN, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

coMBi ATIoN-Mor.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

Application filed September 10, 1917. Serial No. 190,602.

To (all VDILOHI/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELVIN P. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination- Mops;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescriptionof the in; vention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and usefill improvements in inops.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a mop holder to whichthe cleaning element or mop may be quickly and easily applied andremoved therefrom, and which when the cleaning element is appliedthereto will hold the latter in such a manner that it will not becomeaccidentally loosened or disengaged therefrom. i

A further obect of the invention is to generally improve upon devices ofthis class by the provision of an extremely simple durable andinexpensive construction, one which will be ei'licient and reliable inoperation, and well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, and the combination and arran einent ofparts as will be hereinafter g fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the application, and inwhich similar reference characters are used to designate like partsthroughout several views:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a mop holder constructed in accordancewith this invention and showing a cleaning element applied to the same;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the mop holder showing the twoj aw members uncoupled and swung a slight distance away from each other;

Fl". 3 is a perspective View of the mop holder showing a cleaningelement applied thereto, the jaw members being disposed in a coupledrelation;

Fig. lis a horizontal sectional view'taken on the plane Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on a plane indicated by theline 5-5 of Fi l g r Fi 6 is a detailed vertical sectional viewindicated by the line M of through the lower end of the handle of themop holder, said view being taken horizontally on the line 6--6, of Fig.5; and

Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views of undivided forms of sleeves whichare slidably mounted upon the handle of the mop holder.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designatesthe handle of the mop holder which is cut away on opposite sides at itslower end to form a reduced portion 2 having substantially flat parallelopposite sides. Extending through the upper end of the reduced portionQ'of the handle 1 is a pair of t'ansversely spaced apertures 23, whichare lined with a suitable metallic tubular lining 1, it being understoodthat the handle 1 is made of wood.

The reference nurne al 5 designates an arm which extends at right anglesto the handle 1 and which is secured thereto by having the free ends 6of its angularly bent portion 7 driven into the lower end of the handle.The arm 5 is arranged directly beneath the handle 1, and has its endsdisposed equal distances from the opposite sides of the same.

Arranged on opposite sides of the arm 5 are two jaws 8 and 9. The jaws 8and 9 are constructed from wire and are of triangular form. and areprovided with upwardly extending arms 10 disposed adjacent to theopposite flat sides of the reduced portion Elof the handle. The freeends of the arms 10 are bent inwardly into the tubular lining atdisposed within the apertures 3. This construction provides a means forhingcdly connecting the jaws S and 9 to the handle 1. Slidably mountedupon the handle 1 is a sleeve 11, the lower end of which is providedwith oppositely disposed notches 19. which receive the divergingportions of the triangular shaped jaws 8 and 9 when said sleeve is inits lowermost position. The sleeve may be solid, but it is preferablysplit and provided with abutting edges so that it may yield underpressure when necessary. In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings the sleeveis shown as having its abutting edges at right angles to the planes ofthe upper and lower ends of the sleeve while in Fig. 7, the abuttinedges are shown as being disposed angul arly to these planes. In Fig. 8the abutting edges of the sleeve 11 is shown as being V shaped.

Pivotally and slidably mounted upon the diverging portions of the arm 8are hooks 13. These hooks 13 are adapted to hook over the divergingportions of the arms 9 when the said arms are in their innermostposition to lock them in this position.

If desired the arm 5 may be provided at its free end with a loop or head14 to prevent the cleaning element 15 from becoming disengaged from thisarm and to prevent said arm from bending outwardly, said loop or headoverlying the mop gripping rods of the jaws 8 and 9 for this purpose.

In using the device, the sleeve 11 is moved upwardly upon the handlelnntil its lower end passes above the portions 10 of the jaws 8 and 9.The hooks 13 are then swung out of engagement with the jaws 9 and thetwo jaws 8 and 9 are then swung outwardly away from the arm 5. Thecleaning element 15, which is preferably in the form of a plurality ofstrands of cotton is then suspended from the arm 5. When this is done,the jaws 8 and 9 are then swung together into engagement with theopposite side of the cleaning element 15, and the hooks 13 are slid downas far as they will go upon the diverging portions of the jaw 8 andhooked over the similar portions of the jaw 9. The sleeve 11 is thenslid to its lowermost position on the handle, and the opposite sides ofthe notches 12 engaging the diverging portions of the jaws 8 and 9,maintaining the latter in their clamped engagement with the cleaningelement.

To prevent the sleeve 11 from sliding off of the handle 1 should the mopbe held in an :inverted position, a strip of fabric or other softmaterial is fixed or wound and tied around the handle at a pointadjacent the lower end of the same.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings,the construction, use and'operation of the device will be readilyunderstood without a more extended explanation.

As various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details ofconstruction may Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centseach, by addressing the Commissioner of be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit of the invention, it is to be understood that I do notwish to be limited to the construction herein shown and described otherthan as claimed.

I claim:

1. A mop comprising a handle, a pair of jaws consisting of transversemop gripping rods in advance of said handle and arms at the ends of saidrods pivoted to said handle, a third rod over which the mop cloth isadapted to be folded, said third rod being located between said jaws andslightly in rear of said mop gripping rods, means for clamping said jawstogether to hold said mop gripping rods against the mop .cloth, an armextending rearwardly from one end of said third rod and anchored to thefront end of said handle, and a transverse head on the other end of saidthird rod disposed in rear of and adapted to "bear against said mopgripping rods to prevent forward bending of said third rod and to retainthe mop cloth thereon.

2. A mop comprising ahandle, a pair of transverse mop gripping rods inadvance of said handle, arms at the ends of said rods convergingrearwardly to the handle and then extending rearwardly in parallelrelation along opposite sides thereof, the rear ends of said arms beingpivoted to said handle, and a sleeve slidable on the handle and adaptedto move over said parallel portions of said arms, the front end of saidsleeve having notches to receive said rearwardly converging portions ofsaid arms, said notches having rearwardly converging sides to force saidarms together, whereby to firmly grip the mop cloth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

MELVIN P. ALLEN.

Witnesses:

L. D. JAMES, A. C. HARTNETT.

Patents,

Washington, D. G.

